Good Morning MRV Rotarians, friends, community members and supporters. So the Duck Race is done and was a huge success! Thank you, Kim Olds for leading the effort along with a huge flock of helpers too many to name. We exceeded our goal and have added more than $24,000 to our charitable funds that we will grant to the Community. And our own Mike Bridgewater, was the winner of the Mad Duck 100! All winners are listed on our web site.
Another amazing surprise is the huge success of the von Trapp garden tours! A great big thank you to Sally and Toni von Trapp for partnering with us on this effort that made over $17,000 over 5 weekends this summer - more than twice last year. On Saturday, August 30 a record 565 visitors toured the gardens! Overall this summer over 3,400 people toured the gardens - nearly equal to the combined population of Waitsfield and Warren! And they came from far and wide, many asking how many folks it takes to manage those gardens. Sally and Tobi do it all! 😳
Outpour Outdoor Concert at Mt. Ellen on 9/13 is coming up soon. Many members are working on this project which will raise funds for the benefit of the VT Food Bank. Al Barillaro, Betsy Wilkinson, Kira Bacon and Howard Levin all have volunteered their time and efforts to this cause. Be sure to come on up and enjoy some great local music!
WE ARE MRV: Sept. 19 & 21 Celebrate Volunteerism and its Impact on Our Community
In partnership with Bee (a local app that assists in matching volunteers to local projects), Marci Lutsky, MRV Chamber and support from Waitsfield Telecom, Big Picture, and Inn at Round Barn, the MRV Rotary club membership is asked to volunteer at the Friday evening (9/19) film screening & happy hour at the Big Picture and at the Community Volunteer Fair on Sunday (9/21) at the Round Barn Farm.
There will be food, music, and a lively community spirit alive and well. Please plan to help as you are able! Here is the Link to the sign up sheet.
Grants Approved
Harwood High National Honor Society was granted $500 for their efforts to build shelves for the food pantry they will manage in school. There are approx. 160 students in the high school who are food insecure.
We are MRV, led by Mad River Chamber of Commerce, Marci Lutsky and BEE with Rotary coordination by Pete Colgan was granted $300 for event site rental for the fair. See more on We are MRV above.
Thank you, Doug Stoehr and Shawn Sullivan for your time and commitment to work on grants.
Education Update
We have a volunteer family for the Exchange Student. More on this later. You can meet the student at the upcoming regular meeting on 9/17.
Upcoming Rotary meetings:
9/10 - 7:00 a.m.Breakfast at Toast and Eggs - an important club vote on bylaws amendment.
9/17, 5:30 p.m. Dinner meeting at Nellie's at Night (aka Toast and Eggs) - We meet our exchange student.
9/24, 7:00 a.m., Breakfast at Toast and Eggs
A reminder to please sign up for breakfast meetings whether or not you will be eating.
UpcomingDinner meetings:
Please include these in your calendars.
Wednesday, September 17 at Nelly's at Night
Wednesday, October 15- location TBD
Wednesday, November, 19, at Rumbles Bistro at Sugarbush
Volunteer opportunities
To help with Outpour, click on the sign up genius below.
You can always sign up to help with Community Pantry deliveries, thank you Doug Stoehr, or if you would like to be a Greeter, click on the following link
Being a greeter is a fabulous way to say hello to folks you have not seen in a while and, if you are new to MRV Rotary, a wonderful way to get acquainted. So many ways to get involved!
I grew up in Los Angeles and went to college in the California Bay area. Work took me to Houston and then to the New York city area. I became a skier, which ultimately led me to Vermont and the Mad River Valley.
Where has the summer gone? The late summer flowers are prolific, the trees slowly changing to their fall colors, and the annual Labor Day Weekend Duck Race is in the books! The team led by Kim and Doug knocked it out of the park, though I wondered how on earth those thousands of ducks would make it down the almost-empty river. An enthusiastic crowd made the day complete.
"Meet your Fellow Rotarian", Dave Ellison, has been a well-loved contributor to so much of what makes this Valley special. Here he is chatting with Maria Avery, Community Outreach Manager, UVM Library. Maria presented at a recent meeting held at American Flatbread.
For the third year, MRV Rotary and the Community Pantry teamed up to offer filled backpacks for the first day of school. Pantry volunteers Joanne and Lyndon Virkler helped out with distribution ensuring all Valley kids start the school year feeling confident and ready to learn. Thank you, Jane Macan, for your work on this valuable project.
Many Rotarians helped out on Duck Race Day. Here are just some of the gang celebrating a job well done! Thank you, Kim Olds, for your leadership and thank you, Ben Olds, for your endless enthusiasm and booming voice!
You will be seeing more of this logo around town as Rotary takes the lead on this creative project to engage Community members in celebrating what makes this Valley special. See info above. Thank you, Pete Colgan,
Sugarbush and MRV Rotary have teamed up to present this event during Hunger action Month. 100% of proceeds go to VT Food Bank.
